Video Shows Israeli Jet Being Refuelled Mid-Air After Striking Iran

Last Updated:June 13, 2025, 18:47 IST

Israel launched unprecedented strikes on Iran as part of Operation Rising Lion, killing at least 78 people and injuring more than 300 others.

Israeli jet being refuelled mid-air after returning from Iran.

Israel launched unprecedented strikes on Iran as part of Operation Rising Lion, killing at least 78 people, including high-profile figures such as the Iranian army chief and senior nuclear scientists, in one of the most significant blows to Tehran’s defence establishment in decades.

Among those killed was Major General Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and Iranian Army Chief Mohammed Bagheri. Iran declared that Israel’s attack amounted to a declaration of war and sent 100 drones, which were intercepted by Israel’s military.

In a complex military operation, Israel deployed 200 fighter jets, targeting Iranian commanders and missile factories responsible for the country’s nuclear programme. Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran, the Israeli military said.

A video surfaced online showing an Israeli F-16i fighter jet being refuelled mid-air by an Israeli Boeing 707 Re’em tanker over Syria’s Deir ez-Zor province, after returning from a strike in Iran. This underscored the meticulous planning and operational readiness of the Israeli forces.

More than 100 targets were struck by Israeli forces in Iran, causing widespread destruction and explosions were reported in the country’s Natanz nuclear site. Israel also conducted a series of covert strikes deep within Iranian territory, combining Mossad-led sabotage operations with Israeli Air Force attacks.

Israel-Iran Conflict: What Happened Next?

The strikes brought to the Middle East to a new phase of war as Iran warned that Israel would “regret" its actions. Tehran also warned that the United States would be “responsible for consequences".

Later, the Israeli military confirmed that Iran had launched approximately 100 drones in retaliation, which were intercepted before reaching Israeli territory. Iran has formally requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to condemn the Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities and the killing of senior officials.

On the other hand, US President Donald Trump demanded that Iran reach a nuclear deal as soon as possible, saying the next planned attacks will be more brutal. “Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," he said on his Truth Social platform.

Despite Trump’s warning, Iran officially announced its withdrawal from nuclear negotiations with the United States. The now-collapsed talks were aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement, which had limited Iran’s nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief.

Global airlines on Friday cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and other Middle East destinations, or rerouted planes, as Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspaces. Air India diverted or called back a total of 16 flights between India and London and cities in Canada and the United States “due to the emerging situation in Iran".

(with agency inputs)

Tehran, Iran

News world Video Shows Israeli Jet Being Refuelled Mid-Air After Striking Iran